nd around this were seated the ober-lieutenant and two
other officers, one of them an engineer. Von Schellen, at a nod from his
chief, made the fourth at the table.

Into this cabin were brought the English couple and the Danish master.
Several sailors stood about. The occasion began to take on a formal look,
which was heightened when the ober-lieutenant laid on the table a small
sheaf of papers.

"First of all, you, Herr Darrin," began the ober-lieutenant. "There can
be no doubt that you are Darrin?"

Dave thrust a hand in under his sheepskin, bringing to light a card-case.
From it he withdrew a pasteboard which he laid on the table.

"That is my card," he said.

The ober-lieutenant studied it deliberately, then passed it to another
officer as he continued:

"And you do not deny that it was you who captured Ober-Lieutenant von
Bechtold of the Imperial German Navy. You were the principal witness
against him when he was tried in Britain for being a spy?"

"I do not deny it, sir."

"That is all. You may step back."

As Darrin drew back he could not escape the feeling that two of the
seamen near him regarded him as being their especial prisoner.

"And now, the Earl and Countess of Denby," called the ober-lieutenant.

The English couple remained as motionless and appeared as unconcerned as
though they had not heard.

"You two, I mean," insisted the ober-lieutenant, turning to them.

"Oh," said the man, and stepped forward, his wife following him.

The ober-lieutenant eyed the pair impressively before he asked them:

"You do not deny that you are the Earl and Countess of Denby?"

"No," replied the man.

"Ah! Then you admit it?"

"No," he said, promptly.

"But either you must be, or you cannot be, the noble couple whom I have
named. Which is it?"

"That is for you to determine," replied the man.

"But what do you say yourselves?"

"Nothing."

"But you must answer my question!" the commanding officer insisted
angrily.

"You fatigue me," declared the man.

"You have not answered my question, and won't?"

"We have nothing to say."

Frowning, the ober-lieutenant whispered to a petty officer, who had
placed on the table the same album that von Schellen had brought to the
wardroom door. The commanding officer opened the album, pointing to two
photographs that adorned a page.

"These are your photographs, are they not?" he demanded, glancing up at
the pair. But no reply came from them.

"At lea